Cubby
by Marymel
Summary: In this "Jackson" story, Jackson and Greg search for something very special. Lame summary, but cute story!


**I don't own CSI.**

**It occurred to me that when I write "Jackson" stories, I often mention that he sleeps with a teddy bear. So that got me thinking...what would he do if that teddy bear was missing? And here's what I came up with. Hope you enjoy! And please, please, PLEASE review.**

Jackson Sanders was throwing toys out of his toy box and all over his floor trying to find his favorite toy. He wanted to take Cubby, his teddy bear, to Mrs. Russell's for the night while his father was at work. He couldn't find the toy. He looked all over his room and throughout the apartment, but no Cubby.

"Jacks, come on!" Greg called from the kitchen. "Gotta get to Mrs. Barbara's house and I have to get to work." He stopped when he thought he heard crying from Jackson's room. He walked into his room and was slightly annoyed when he found that his son had taken every toy out of his toy box. "Jacks, put your toys back up. We gotta go."

"Daddy, where Cubby?" Jackson asked as he looked around at the toys scattered on the floor.

Greg looked at the toys, but he didn't see Jackson's beloved teddy bear. "Did you look in the living room?"

"Yeah. He not there." Jackson looked at all the toys on the floor, tears beginning to fall from his eyes. "Where Cubby?"

Kneeling down to help Jackson look through the toys, Greg didn't see Jackson's bear. "Could you have left him in the kitchen?" Greg had seen Jackson in the kitchen the day before having breakfast, holding on to Cubby.

"Is he there?" Jackson asked.

"I don't know. Let's go see." Greg led Jackson into the kitchen and helped him look for the teddy bear. Jackson looked in the refrigerator and Greg looked in the cupboard, but the teddy bear was not there.

Jackson began crying. "Daddy, Cubby not here!"

Greg wanted to get to work, but he hated seeing his son upset. "I'm sure he's around here somewhere. You want to call Mama, see if she saw Cubby this morning?" Jackson nodded, and Greg took out his cell phone and dialed Morgan's number.

"Brody," Morgan's voice came over the speaker.

"Mama, where Cubby?" Jackson asked.

"We can't find Cubby," Greg explained. "Did you see him when you left for court earlier?"

"No, I didn't." Morgan could hear Jackson crying over the phone. She and Greg knew Jackson always slept with the teddy bear. "Sweetie, let Daddy take you to Mrs. Barbara. When I get home later, I'll look for Cubby. I'm sure he's not far."

"But I want him now!" Jackson said as he cried. "Daddy, where Cubby?"

Greg pulled Jackson into his arms and tried to soothe the little boy's cries. "It's going to be okay, Jacks. We'll find him." Returning his attention to the phone, he said, "I'll see you at work?"

"Yeah, and we'll find him. Don't worry. I love you both."

"Love you too," Greg said.

"Love you Mama," Jackson said through his tears as Greg hung up the phone. Jackson cried and cried, thinking he might have lost his beloved toy. "Daddy, I want Cubby!"

"I know," Greg said as he scooped Jackson into his arms. "Tell you what, we'll go see Mrs. Barbara, and as soon as Mama gets home she'll look for him, okay?"

Jackson nodded and wrapped his arms around Greg's neck. He'd had the bear since he was a baby. Greg realized that, since it had been a gift from Riley, it probably reminded him of his mother.

Greg drove to Mrs. Russell's house with Jackson crying in the backseat. He hated hearing his son cry and seeing him upset. Greg hadn't seen Jackson get that upset since Morgan had dinner with them the night after Riley had left the little boy with him and Jackson hadn't wanted Morgan to leave.

"Daddy, is Cubby okay?" Jackson asked as he sniffed back tears.

"Oh, I'm sure he's fine." Greg glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled at his son. "I'll bet he misses you, too."

"Yeah?"

"Uh-huh. I'll bet he hates being away from you and wishes he could find you."

Jackson rubbed his eyes. "I miss Cubby, Daddy."

"I know, Jacks." Greg reached his hand back and held Jackson's hand as he pulled into Barbara's driveway. He got out and pulled the sad little boy from his car seat. Jackson laid his head on Greg's shoulder as he walked him to Barbara and D.B.'s front door.

"Greg, hi!" Barbara said as she opened the door. "Hey, Jackson. What's wrong?"

"I miss Cubby!" Jackson cried.

"We can't find Cubby," Greg whispered.

Barbara ushered them into the house. "Oh, I'm so sorry. But he'll turn up, honey." She rubbed Jackson's back.

D.B. walked into the living room. "Hey, guys."

"You haven't seen Cubby, have you?" Greg asked as Jackson cried.

"Cubby?" D.B. asked.

"His bear," Barbara whispered.

"Oh. No, I haven't seen it, but I'll look for it," D.B. told him.

"Thank you," Greg said as he tried to sit Jackson on the couch. Jackson just wrapped his arms tighter around Greg's neck. "Jacks, it's okay," Greg reassured him. "I gotta go to work, but we'll find him. And I will be back, okay?"

Jackson shook his head against Greg's chest. "Daddy, you come back?"

Greg knelt in front of the worried child. "Of course, I will! I love you way, way more than you'll ever know. And I won't leave you, I promise."

Jackson sniffed back tears. "Really?"

"Really," Greg said with a soft smile.

Jackson leaned over and hugged his father. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you too."

"Hey, Jackson?" Barbara asked. "Do you want some chocolate milk?" The little boy nodded, and Barbara went to the kitchen to get his favorite drink.

"Hon, do we have any more of those apples?" D.B. asked.

"Yeah, I think Jackson was snacking on one yesterday..." She opened the refrigerator door. "Oh, my."

Greg and D.B. glanced towards the kitchen. Barbara emerged holding a small teddy bear. "Jackson?"

Jackson's eyes widened, he gasped softly and smiled. "Cubby!" He ran and grabbed the toy from Barbara and gave it a huge hug. "Cubby, I missed you!"

"He must have left it in there last night when he got his apple," Barbara explained.

Greg smiled. "Thank you." Kneeling in front of his son, he said, "I told you we'd find him."

"Yeah!" Jackson said. "Mrs. Barbara found Cubby! Thank you, Mrs. Barbara!"

"You're welcome, sweetie," She told the delighted child.

"Hey, Jackson," D.B. said. "Can your daddy and I go to work now?"

"Yep!" Jackson said, not letting go of Cubby.

Greg laughed softly. "Okay, I gotta go to work. I'll be back when you get home from preschool tomorrow, okay?"

Jackson nodded. "I take care of Cubby, daddy."

"Yeah, you take care of Cubby." He gave Jackson a hug. "I love you."

"I love you, too. An' Cubby loves you, too, daddy!"

The adults laughed softly. "Yeah," Greg agreed. "I'm glad we found him."

"Me too!" Jackson agreed.

**The End.**


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